Packers Morning Buzz: Green Bay could be getting jump on contacting college coach

The Green Bay Packers President/CEO Mark Murphy before the Packers take on the Atlanta Falcons during their football game on Sunday, December 9, 2018, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis.
Wm. Glasheen/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin.(Photo: Wm. Glasheen/USA TODAY NETWORK-W)

Welcome to your Morning Buzz, rounding up news and views regarding the Green Bay Packers from around the web and here at PackersNews.com.

Interim coach Joe Philbin led the Packers (5-7-1) to a 34-20 victory over the Atlanta Falcons (4-9) last Sunday at Lambeau Field. Now comes a daunting test Sunday at noon against the Chicago Bears (9-4) at Soldier Field.

We'll start with former Packers executive Andrew Brandt's in-depth observations for The MMQB about Mike McCarthy, his abrupt firing and Green Bay's coaching search, based on his longtime association with the franchise and how it operates.

Brandt writes:

Packers president Mark Murphy talked about giving Mike an opportunity to get an early jump on the market, as well as the embarrassing loss to the Cardinals at home. While all of those were certainly factors, and I know Murphy well and like him, I’m not buying it.

My sense is that the Packers have their eye on a candidate that they wanted to contact now, someone not currently working for an NFL team, rather than having to wait until January. Absent a candidate outside the league, why make this move now to simply interview NFL candidates under contract until after the season? I believe they did not want to reach out to a candidate while Mike had the position. I do not know who that candidate might be, but it’s likely a college coach who has time to interview before heavy bowl game/college playoff preparation begins in a week or so.

Brandt also writes that the Packers' coaching job is the best in the NFL:

I have heard reports saying that the other current NFL head coach opening—that of the Browns—is more attractive than the Green Bay opening. To that I say… please.

We can debate which roster is more equipped for future success, but a roster comparison is a shortsighted way of determining which head coaching position is more attractive. Simply, there is no working environment in the NFL, indeed in all of professional sports, that puts coaches in a better position to succeed than in Green Bay. I have seen it up close and personal.

Mike Zimmer wanted to run it despite a shaky O-line. John DeFelippo had a playbook full of creative pass designs, a newly minted franchise QB and two star receivers. @Andy_Benoit on why the head coach-coordinator marriage was bound to fail in Minnesota.https://t.co/zU8CvhmS50

The #Lions placed DE Ezekiel Ansah on Injured Reserve, ending his season. Source said the franchise tagged player needs surgery to repair his labrum ailment that he tried to play through. It should allow him to be ready for training camp in 2019.